It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Friday, March 06, 2026
Industry Weighs Risk to Seafarers, Balance Sheets in Hormuz Transits
A sole disabled boxship (green dot off of Kumzar) shows the risks of a Hormuz transit in current conditions (MarineTraffic)
As the security situation in the Gulf region remains dangerous for vessel transits, industry voices differ on the question of whether vessels should stay out of the Strait of Hormuz for reasons of seafarer safety.
Transits of the strait are under direct threat from Iran, which has demonstrated a capability to hit vessels that attempt to make the run. Once past the strait and inside the Gulf, all inbound merchant ships remain within targeting distance and vulnerable to Iranian attack, from Kuwait to Dubai.
Blue-chip operators like Maersk and CMA CGM have cast their votes in favor of prudence and suspended calls in the Gulf region, thereby eliminating war risk for their seagoing personnel (except those already west of Hormuz, estimated to number about 20,000 personnel). On the other end of the spectrum, a handful of owners are asking their captains to make transits in and out. To be sure, seafarers have agency of their own and can decide whether to join such a voyage. Under IBF rules, crewmembers have a right to be informed of combat-zone hazards and a right to request repatriation - though it is a request that comes with its own risks.
So far, industry bodies have advised owners to weigh and manage war risks, not to avoid them - consistent with the varying opinions and business models of international shipowners. For VLCC owners, Mideast transits are now more lucrative than at any point in industry history. If the risk to crew is acceptable, a single voyage could pay for a third of the price of the ship.
"Seafarers continue to operate in a complex and uncertain environment, and their safety and wellbeing must remain a priority," said Intertanko and OCIMF in a joint statement Thursday. "Operational decisions should be based on thorough, company-led due diligence and comprehensive risk assessments . . . [and] the human element should be considered in decision-making."
The International Chamber of Shipping, which represents vessels of all classes, expressed concern and emphasized the obligation of nation-states to ensure safety.
"By no fault of their own, [seafarers'] lives are now tragically at risk. We call on all states to take the fundamental steps to ensure their safety," ICS' leadership said in a statement. "Freedom of navigation is crucial to global trade. All states must ensure the safe passage of merchant vessels, prioritizing the safety and welfare of the crew on board."
Some observers have called for private parties to take their own actions to ensure safety for crew.
"Stop trying to pass the Strait of Hormuz!" implored EOS Risk Group's Martin Kelly in a message Wednesday. "There have been at least 10 attacks against shipping in 72 hours. At least one person dead, and at least one ship abandoned. . . . Please, defer transit."
In Piraeus, the epicenter of the crude tanker industry, unionized seafarers have gone a step further. Protesters at the shipowners' union building near the harbor have spraypainted the sidewalk with the phrase "no sacrifice for profits and wars," according to Reuters. Their demand is nothing less than the swift and safe return of all seafaring personnel currently in the region - a demand which would require cessation of trading.
"We demand that all of our colleagues, currently in the dangerous Gulf area, the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea, are evacuated and safely repatriated," said Angelos Galanopoulos, head of engineering crewmembers' union Stephenson.
This has been achieved by dint of a relatively small number of attacks on all classes of merchant shipping, with sufficient risk to life to call off further attempted transits for the time being, reinforced by an increase in premium rates to levels which in any case make transits in and out of the Gulf for the time being uneconomic.
Global trade flows can absorb a closure of one of the world’s busiest shipping channels for a short period of time. But pressure will be rising all the time, both to get oil and gas out of the Gulf and basic essentials into Gulf countries which are all highly import-dependent. The situation is exacerbated because while effectively a sea blockade is in place, there are also major restrictions on the air transport of goods.
So what’s the plan to get the Straits reopened?
Firstly, what is the threat which needs to be suppressed? The nature of the threat is much changed from the days during the Iran-Iraq war 50 years ago when military operations managed to keep the Straits open. The situation is much more akin to the recent Houthi Red Sea blockade – where Iranians IRGC advisers played a role in designing the scheme which the Houthis used to restrict, but not entirely eliminate traffic flows, using a mixture of mines, anti-ship cruise missiles, drones, speedboats armed with short-range weapons, and direct boardings from skiffs and helicopters.
That range of threats is analogous to what merchant mariners now face in the Straits, albeit with two differences: the Straits are longer and narrower, permitting use of a wider range of weapons and reducing the difficulties for Iran in identifying targets. The United States has already neutralized the other differentiator: use of frigates and corvettes, which the Houthis never had, and which the Iranians no longer have either.
US and Israeli attacks have by all accounts been very successful in detecting and destroying both permanent and mobile missile and drone launchers. But just as the entire Houthi armory was difficult to account for, and the Houthis retained the ability to launch drones and missiles even at the end of the campaign against them, it is likely that sufficient capability has been hidden away and dispersed to pose a continuing threat even if the bulk of the force has been destroyed. To maintain a credible threat, which could be as low as the ability to launch one or two attacks a day on shipping in the Straits, the Iranians only need to mask a small number of launchers. To entirely suppress the threat would be extremely difficult – but American planners know this, and could have a plan on how to achieve this.
A sanguine assessment however is that the Iranians will manage to retain for some time an ability to mount one-off attacks; this is certainly suggested by their willingness even after five days of war to extend their range of attacks, for example targets in Azerbaijan. To counter a persistent threat, there will be a need for active optical and electronic surveillance, with an immediate response capability, covering potential mobile launcher firing points along at least 250 miles of Iranian coastline and its hinterland, from Abu Musa in the West to Jask in the East.
A minesweeping capability, and the means to keep a swept channel clear, is also necessary. Shipping channels also have to be kept completely clear of small craft and fishing boats, which the Iranians could use both for cueing long-range attacks and for mounting close-quarter physical attacks. Lastly, one needs naval vessels to provide close-in electronic counter-measures, detection and intercept protection for merchant vessels making the transit.
It is difficult to envisage such a screen being maintained permanently, allowing use of the Traffic Separation Scheme channels as it operates in peacetime. It might be possible to provide largely effective protection on a convoy basis, and no doubt marine insurance cover could be put in place.
But critically, this could not be done unless merchant vessels acknowledged there would be some residual risk. Mariners took that sort of mortal risk in previous wars when the Merchant Navy tended to be manned by nationals of the nations doing the fighting. But with international crews on ships owned in one jurisdiction and flagged in another, this is not really an ask which owners and managers can any longer put to crews. If the price was right, some might sign up, but not for reasons of patriotism. 355
However, even a convoying arrangement embracing some acknowledged risk could not float unless there were sufficient naval vessels available to provide the convoy escorts, many more vessels than could be furnished by the United States alone. Keeping the Straits of Hormuz open will not feature highly on Israel’s strategic plan, focused narrowly as it always does on national survival and security. As yet, there are no signs of countries with navies of sufficient sophistication being ready to volunteer for the task. On the contrary, with the decommissioned HMS Lancaster symbolically tied up in Bahrain, some nations are actively walking away from assuming any responsibility for the safety and protection of merchant shipping on their registers or serving their economic interests.
Measuring the disparity between the threat and the capability response needed, it is reasonable to conclude that a military solution to opening up the Straits of Hormuz is not yet feasible. Given the confidence of U.S. CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper after five days of operations, that is likely to change. Until then, the only potential solution to the current closure of the Straits lies within the political and diplomatic realm, a possible product of a cessation of hostilities or ceasefire negotiations - but not one being countenanced by either side or even as yet being suggested by the Omanis, the region's perennial diplomatic intermediaries and peacemakers.
The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.
Lloyd's Stands Ready to Work With U.S. on Insurance for Hormuz Transits
Iranian attack boats in an exercise in more peaceful times (Tasnim / IRGC)
War risk insurance remains available for shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and Arabian Gulf, according to Lloyd's of London, despite the decision of some underwriters and reinsurers to back out of the trade. The market is willing to work with the White House on a joint public-private venture to provide cover for shipping in the region, in hopes of kick-starting the energy trade through high-risk waters, Lloyd's Market Association CEO Sheila Cameron told the WSJ.
In a message Tuesday, Trump said that he would order the U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to provide "political risk insurance and guarantees" for shipping of all nations through the Gulf, at a "very reasonable price." Insurance industry insiders say that this plan would require exceptional amounts of capital, beyond the current resources of the DFC. Private war risk insurance for the Gulf is already available on the commercial market, brokers say, but at exceptionally high price levels - reflecting the high risk of an attack on vessels that defy Iran's closure of the Strait.
"The granting of war cover for the Persian Gulf and Red Sea is and will remain available under specific agreement on a single voyage basis as long as navigation is authorized by governments and flag states. In the current fast-paced situation, insurers will regularly re-examine their ability and willingness to that provide cover," the International Union of Marine Insurers said in a statement Friday.
VLCC spot rates are high enough to make such terms worthwhile for tanker owners, who stand to earn mid-six-figure sums per day for voyages from the Gulf region. One VLCC was reported on subjects at $700,000 per day on Friday, by far the highest rate ever recorded - beating a previous record set earlier this week.
But the insurance part of the equation can only solve the security of the owner's balance sheet; the physical security of the route is a matter decided by nation-states, and is still very much in question.
"As long as the security situation remains volatile, many shipowners may remain reluctant to transit the strait even if [U.S.] government-backed coverage becomes available," credit rating agency Morningstar told S&P.
Meanwhile, Iran's cargoes continue to sail. The LPG carrier Danuta I - sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury - transited the Strait of Hormuz fully laden with Iranian propane or butane on Friday, AIS tracking shows.
Insurance and Naval Escorts May Not be Enough to Reboot Gulf Shipping
The small tanker Skylight burns after an Iranian strike (social media)
War risk at the Strait of Hormuz continues to deter shipowners from venturing near to Iran, and AIS-active traffic remains 90 percent below normal levels, according to MarineTraffic. Despite the hazards, a handful of owners are willing to make the run and join the 3,200-strong fleet inside of the high-risk zone of the Arabian Gulf.
"Stop trying to pass the Strait of Hormuz," security consultant Martin Kelly of EOS Risk Group implored shipowners. "There [have] been at least 10 attacks against shipping in 72 hours. At least one person dead, and at least one ship abandoned. . . . Please, defer transit."
Iran's strikes on shipping multiplied over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday, according to UKMTO. Six incidents were reported on March 3-4: a hit on the bulker Gold Oak off Fujairah, resulting in hull damage; a hit on the tanker Libra Trader off Fujairah, resulting in minor damage; a near-miss spotted by the container ship MSC Grace off Dubai; a close-in near miss on an unnamed vessel in the Gulf of Oman, nearly 140 nm offshore; a serious hit aboard the boxship Safeen Prestige in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in a fire in the engine room and a decision to abandon ship; and (most recently) an apparent small-boat commando attack on a tanker 30 nm south of Kuwait, resulting in a blast and an oil spill.
A U.S. pledge to provide insurance for shipping in the region may help from a business standpoint, if it can be actualized, but improved physical security is likely a requirement for sustained commerce at scale. "Insurance may incentivize a few to start transiting but the Iranians will likely attack and then traffic will again cease transit," Odin head analyst Alpman Ilker told Argus Media.
Physical security have to await the resolution of the conflict. Odds of a naval escort mission appears limited given the intensity of ongoing combat in the Gulf region and the availability of resources. Most of the attacks to date have occurred far outside the Strait of Hormuz, at locations from Kuwait to Salalah. Any U.S. Navy assets tasked to escort duty would have to spend days in range of Iranian missiles and drones, requiring the crews to defend themselves as well as their convoys.
"The Red Sea precedent is instructive: 15 months of 'Operation Prosperity Guardian' escorts failed to restore commercial traffic despite 400 drones/missiles downed," commented analysts with SSY Global in a new research note. "[At Hormuz] physical geography favors the attacker. TSS lanes are two nm wide each direction; vessels transit at 10–12 knots and must turn at the narrowest point adjacent to Iranian islands. A destroyer can intercept missiles but cannot simultaneously sweep mines, counter drone-boat swarms from multiple bearings, and manage GPS disruption."
The shadow fleet tankers that serve Iran have no such security concerns, at least based on satellite imagery. The loading berths at Kharg Island are still running at full rate, according to TankerTrackers.com.
Hormuz Shutdown Could Also Affect Agriculture, Petchem and Mining Sectors
Much attention has been paid to the effects of the Strait of Hormuz shutdown on the oil and LNG markets, but there are half a dozen other commodities that will be affected in the weeks to come if a security solution isn't reached soon. The GCC states produce half of the world's traded sulfur, a large share of its phosphate, and much of its nitrogen fertilizers - all needed for industrial agriculture. They also supply methanol, ethane, propane, naphtha and other basic ingredients to chemical plants across East Asia.
Agricultural fertilizer may be the most prominent market affected, as the natural gas-rich region is a leading producer and exporter. The broader MENA region produces about half of the world's urea, critical for row crops. Gas giant QatarEnergy alone accounts for 14 percent of the global supply, and Iran accounts for another 10 percent.
Saudi Arabia is also a major exporter of elemental phosphate. Crop production for staples like wheat and corn is heavily dependent on these chemical fertilizer inputs, and planting season is coming in the northern hemisphere. Fertilizer markets in the U.S. are already reacting with price increases: urea has jumped by 70 percent in three months.
"Nitrogen/phosphate markets, the timing of the Strait reopening is everything. If the Strait opens quickly, production can continue and flows return," said fertilizer wholesale executive Josh Linville in commentary posted Wednesday. "However, the longer it draws out, the more likely production will be to stop for lack [of storage] space."
With the shutdown of the strait, exports of chemical feedstocks from the Gulf have also ceased. Chemical plants in some East Asian nations are already curtailing production because of the unpredictability of future feedstock deliveries. Yeochun NCC, a South Korean petchem plant operator, told its customers that it had declared force majeure on Wednesday because of a naphtha shortage, forcing it to reduce output at its plants to "minimum capacity" effective immediately. It is expecting long delays in naphtha shipments that were scheduled to arrive in March. Indonesian manufacturer Chandra Asri has announced similar production-slowdown steps.
The Gulf also accounts for half of the world's seaborne sulfur trade. A byproduct of petroleum processing in the region, it is used for making sulfuric acid - key to extracting phosphate for fertilizer and for refining copper, cobalt, nickel, lithium and gold ores. Prices have already been high for sulfur and are expected to rise, especially in African markets that are more dependent on Gulf suppliers.
Iran Threatens to Set Ships "On Fire" in Strait of Hormuz
No tanker traffic broadcasting AIS inside the strait, 0030 hours local time, March 3 (MarineTraffic)
Iran's senior leadership has announced a full shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to "set on fire" any vessels passing the blockade. Multiple leading P&I clubs have announced that they are suspending war risk insurance for transits of the strait effectively making the risk exposure too high for tanker owners to bear, and energy shipping traffic through the strategic waterway has ground to a near-halt. As of Monday night, maritime tracking platforms showed virtually no (disclosed) tanker transits through the TSS.
According to the FT, broking sources say that war risk insurers are pulling previously-arranged coverage for future transits of the Strait, transferring the full risk of an upcoming transit to the shipowner for the short voyage. The decision suggests that P&I clubs and reinsurers see so much uncertainty in Iranian attacks that they can't calculate an appropriate rate - even an exceptionally high rate, like the one percent of hull value charged for Ukraine-bound vessels during the peak of the Russian blockade.
"It is already evident that reinsurers’ appetite for war risk exposure is tightening, and in practical terms, it will result in reinsurers withdrawing capacity at short notice," said leading P&I club Skuld in a statement. "Against this backdrop, the association has therefore decided to issue the assureds with a notice of cancellation of the War Risk Cover."
The withdrawal of war risk coverage will take effect on March 5, 72 hours after notice was issued. It extends throughout the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Gard, NorthStandard, London P&I and the American Club have followed suit as well.
Basic P&I, FD&D and Excess Wark Risk are unaffected - but without baseline war risk cover, owners are unlikely to venture into an active combat zone.
Gard said that it was still working on the terms of a buy-back option for shipowners to reinstate their war risk coverage at an extra cost. For now, Gard is not offering reinstatement until after it has ironed out the terms it would like to receive.
Basic P&I, FD&D and Excess Wark Risk are unaffected - but without baseline war risk cover, owners are unlikely to venture into an active combat zone.
In another sign of the added risk and cost for owners who wish to operate in the broader region, the ITF and the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG) have designated Hormuz, the Arabian Gulf and most of the Gulf of Oman as a formal high risk area, triggering extra pay and certain extra rights for seafarers in the region. Owners are also advised to increase security preparedness to ISPS Level 3.
The list of crewmember benefits for this new designated warlike operations area (IBF High Risk Area) includes:
- a bonus equal to the basic wage for the duration of time in the zone
- double compensation for death and disability;
- and a right to refuse sailing, with repatriation at company’s expense plus two months' of wages.
The physical and financial risks for owners have added up to a suspension of traffic - for now. According to maritime data consultancy Windward, there were zero active tanker transits in the strait as of late Monday. "The Strait is technically open, but commercial tanker passage has effectively ceased," Windward said in a statement.
Maritime analysts have been quick to note that Iran is heavily dependent upon oil sales to China for revenue, and will not be able to afford to fully close the strait to its own tanker traffic - nor can it risk angering its only real customer. Chinese refiners also buy oil from Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and a shutdown of any duration for the GCC nations' tanker traffic would attract China's attention.
After Strikes on Dubai, UAE May Target Iran's Shadow Fleet Operators
The financial and operational networks that undergird Iran's sanctioned oil trade pass through Dubai, where they operate in the shadows in a lightly-regulated market. That may soon become a problem for Tehran. According to the Wall Street Journal, the UAE - growing tired of Iran's missile and drone attacks - has warned the Iranian government that in retaliation, it may start seizing assets linked to these shell companies.
The freewheeling business environment of the UAE's free trade zone system has been a home for sanctioned oil trading for years, both for Iranian and Russian grades. The shadow fleet of tankers that serve gray-market crude is managed in no small part out of Dubai. As an example, one of the most prominent shadow fleet operators to work in the city, Indian shipowner Capt. Jugwinder Singh Brar, has been accused by the U.S. Treasury of working with Yemen's al-Jamal network to move Iranian oil - a double violation of U.S. sanctions. Brar stands accused of using his fleet of small tankers to pick up Iranian oil cargoes, then blending them with other grades to obfuscate the real source. "The Iranian regime relies on its network of unscrupulous shippers and brokers like Brar and his companies to enable its oil sales and finance its destabilizing activities," said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent last year.
Operations like Brar's now-sanctioned network could be a target of opportunity for the UAE, which could use asset seizures to clamp down on Iranian oil smuggling. Iran's kinetic attacks threaten to undermine the Emirates' carefully cultivated reputation for security and stability, the ingredients underpinning the runaway success of Dubai as a luxury destination and financial hub. Iran's drone and missile attacks have created unwanted optics: well-publicized strikes on a hotel, the city's U.S. consulate, and on a tank farm at Fujairah have caused damage to physical infrastructure, but the potential for reputational damage is even more concerning.
An asset seizure targeting Iran's facilitator network in the UAE could be a devastating blow. The Treasury believes that UAE-based front companies account for about 60 percent of the covert Iranian financial activity that passes through the American banking system, the Journal reports, suggesting a target-rich environment.
Beyond financial measures, the UAE is contemplating direct action to seize Iranian shadow fleet tankers in Emirati waters, officials told the WSJ - a major escalation for a nation that maintained neutrality between the U.S. and Iran just last week.
Iranian Bomb Boat Targeted Sonangol Tanker off Kuwait
New footage appears to suggest that Iranian forces used a drone boat to attack the tanker Sonangol Namibe off the coast of Kuwait.
The tanker was at anchor about 30 nm to the southeast of Kuwait's Mubarak al Kabeer port on Wednesday night when an explosion occurred on the port side. The hull was penetrated and the ship has taken on water, according to UKMTO. However, there were no injuries, and the blast did not start a fire, according to the security agency.
The vessel was in ballast at the time of the blast, but satellite imaging taken the day after the strike shows a small petroleum slick emanating from the tanker.
The strike expanded the proven kinetic risk zone to the far northeastern end of the Gulf, confirming the possibility of an Iranian strike at any location within the area. It also showed that the threat picture for shipping will continue to include surface attacks, even though Iran's larger combatant vessels have substantially been eliminated by U.S. forces.
Iran is a longtime operator of unmanned bomb boats: it began providing the technology to Yemen's Houthi rebel group years before the concept was adopted and developed by Ukraine. Drone boats require a different defense strategy to prevent kinetic strikes, and they are difficult to defeat in swarms, as demonstrated by the Black Sea campaign targeting Russian warships and tankers.
The strike may have outsize importance for regional energy production. According to local Basra News, Sonangol Namibe was due to call at an Iraqi loading terminal to take on oil. Iraq is so short on shoreside storage space that it has begun to shut in production; A proven threat to tanker tonnage in Iraq has more immediate implications for the global crude oil supply than a similar threat in Saudi Arabia or the UAE, as Iraq's tank farm capacity is low and any production shut-in will take weeks to restart.
The UKMTO has reported an apparent attack on a tanker at a position off the coast of Kuwait, resulting in a hull breach.
The tanker - identified as the Suezmax Sonangol Namibe - was at anchor about 30 nm to the southeast of Kuwait's Mubarak al Kabeer port on Wednesday night. An explosion occurred on the port side, witnessed by the master. A small craft was seen departing the scene.
The blast penetrated a cargo tank, resulting in a spill of oil in the water, according to UKMTO. In a later statement, the operator said that a ballast tank was breached, but that no oil was spilled. The ship has taken on water as well, according to UKMTO.
No fires have been reported, and the crew are unharmed. Contrary to the initial report, the vessel was in ballast at the time of the blastInvestigations into the circumstances of the attack are under way.
The apparent attack is materially different from other recent maritime strikes in the region, in several ways. Geographically, it is the furthest point west from the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting that the warlike risk zone fully spans the length of the Arabian Gulf. The presence of a small craft also suggests a hand-placed charge - a limpet mine - which would be consistent with past operations attributed to Iran.
In June 2019, two vessels were hit by suspected limpet mine attacks in the Gulf of Oman. One of the devices was spotted intact on the hull of the tanker Kokuka Courageous, and it closely resembled a known Iranian device, according to U.S. Central Command. Suspected Iranian operatives removed the device and departed before U.S. forces could arrive. Cmdr. Sean Kido, a dive team leader with CENTCOM, told Reuters at the time that blast damage elsewhere on the Kokuka Courageous was consistent with a limpet mine attack - not an airborne munition.
Positioning of Unladen Tankers Signals Shipping's Risk-Reward Calculations
Still expecting to profit: empty tankers lined up off Fujairah, Khor Fakkan and Dibba (MarineTraffic)
Shipowners and managers, and ultimately ship masters, have the ultimate responsibility for assessing risk to their vessels and their cargoes. Governments may be keen to persuade operators that the coast is clear, in support of attaining political objectives, but captains always need to be the final arbiter, not the least because lives are at risk.
Hence the behavior of tankers, in particular those with freedom of movement outside the Gulf, gives an indication of how the non-government world is assessing the potential course of the ongoing war with Iran.
If unladen tankers give up holding off Fujairah and Oman, then it is because they assess the risk of loading from terminals on the Gulf of Oman outweighs the reward of record profits to be had from Mideast-to-Asia voyages - or, alternatively, that there is little prospect of the Straits of Hormuz being opened up in the short term. For such tankers, the commercial choice then is to sail away and to find cargoes elsewhere.
From insiders in the oil and gas trading community, it appears that some regard it as too risky to load at present. But most of the unladen tankers off Fujairah and Oman are still sticking around, implying that ship owners and managers consider there is a good prospect of the Iranian grip over the Straits of Hormuz being broken soon. There are for example 17 unladen LNG carriers currently loitering in the Gulf of Oman off Ras al Hadd, numbers not depleted by more than one or two who have given up waiting. This implies there is confidence that the American war plan will move - once local air superiority is achieved - to suppressing the still-active drone threat.
The Iranian threat extends well beyond the immediate Strait of Hormuz area, as it appears that Iran has the wider objective of closing down all oil and gas movements within the region, presumably with the objective of mobilizing oil and gas consuming nations - and China in particular - to press for a cessation of hostilities.
This threat the Gulf nations are having to deal with on their own, with the Americans clearly having their hands full dealing with the primary threat from Iran. But it seems extraordinary that Western nations, and other consumer nations in Asia, do not consider that their national and economic security interests need to be protected and defended from these Iranian attacks. On the contrary, the British Prime Minister, for example, speaking in the House of Commons on March 4, appeared to be only concerned with evacuating British citizens from the area - seemingly unconcerned about the lack of Royal Navy presence in the Gulf or capability to defend other British interests and those of historic and economic partners.
Bandar Abbas Naval Harbor Smoking from Multiple Hits
Bandar Abbas Naval Harbor at 12.00 (UTC) on March 2 (Sentinel-2/CJRC) Yellow: berth of IRINS Kurdestan (K442). Red: berth recently of 2 x Moudge Class frigates. Blue: Berth area of IRINS Zagros (H313) and Hengam Class logistic vessels.
Imagery taken over Bandar Abbas at midday (UTC) on March 2 shows the Naval Harbor wreathed in black smoke. From the smoke pattern and dispersal, it appears that there have been at least three strikes on ships berthed in the harbor.
The heat spots are confirmed in NASA FIRMS imagery, which suggests that the heat spots were initiated perhaps up to 24 hours previously.
The regular Iranian Navy (Nedaja) has consistently moored classes of ships on particular berths in the Naval Harbor, making it easy to predict which ships lie beneath the smoke. Moreover, clear imagery of the harbor was obtained in the immediate days before the launch of Operation Epic Fury, so that one can make a good guess from which particular ships smoke is belching.
At its normal pier in the outer harbor, still afloat, is IRINS Kurdestan (K442), or possibly IRINS Makran (K441), still on fire at its stern.
These two converted tankers have given the Nedaja the ability to provide logistic support for long-range deployments, a capability that the Nedaja lost when IRINS Kharg (K431) caught fire and sank in mysterious circumstances off the coast of Jask on June 2, 2021.
The dockside alongside which three Moudge Class frigates were moored several days ago is ablaze along its length. The vessels concerned, therefore, may be IRINS Sabalan (F73), IRINS Sahand (F74), and/or IRINS Jamaran (F76), which had been spotted moored here on February 27. It has been tentatively reported, however, that IRINS Jamaran (F76) was sunk alongside its berth at the Konarak Naval Base in Chah Bahar.
A large area of smoke covers the area where the Moudge Class intelligence collection frigate IRINS Zagros (H313) is normally berthed, which in turn is adjacent to a pier that normally is home to Hengam Class logistic vessels, veteran but heavily used in support of short and medium range deployments.
On the eastern side of the Naval Harbor, the piers which normally house Kaman Class fast attack craft, and Kilo and Fateh Class diesel electric submarines, are not covered by smoke. Potentially targets in this area could have sunk, hiding any indicators of attack beneath the waters of the harbor.
The evident damage apparent in the imagery of the harbor correlates with the statement from President Donald Trump that nine Iranian Navy ships have been destroyed in Operation Epic Fury. U.S. Central Command on Monday also claimed to have sunk the drone carrier Shahid Bagheri, saying U.S. forces had struck the ship within hours of launching Operation Epic Fury. However, it should be noted that these easy targets were all old ships, which tended to be used for conventional naval operations, rather than the missile-equipped speed boats and fast attack craft used by the IRGC Navy in harassment operations in the Straits of Hormuz.
Jebel Ali Port Resumes Operations as Most Regional Ports Remain Operational
Jebel Ali, the largest container port in the region, briefly suspended operations (DP World)
After widespread reports of a possible missile strike and a fire at the Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, operations resumed on Monday. Most ports across the Middle East report operations are continuing despite the efforts by the Iranians to target ports as part of their campaign to disrupt the region.
Videos circulating online showed a smoke cloud rising from the container port in Dubai, creating concerns as Jebel Ali is the largest port in the region. In addition to being a key import and export location, it is a transshipment hub for much of the region. Reports began circulating that operations were suspended.
The Dubai City Defense force confirmed that it was quickly able to bring the fire under control with minimal damage. Officials are asserting that it was debris from a successful intercept of a drone that caused the fire and not a missile or drone strike on the port. Dubai, however, has been one of the areas heavily targeted by the Iranians, with reports of multiple intercepts and strikes, including on hotels and residential buildings.
DP World, which operates the container port, is saying operations were suspended as a precaution, and they undertook a safety review. As of Sunday evening local time, March 1, it was reporting that all four terminals were operating normally. The Dubai Ports Authority confirmed the operations while saying it was “monitoring developments closely” and would remain in close coordination with the relevant authorities. It said that “enhanced safety and security measures” would remain in place across the Jebel Ali Port.
Ports in the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Qatar, as well as further afield in Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, and Cyprus, are also said to be operating normally. Inchcape, one of the leaders in providing port services, compiled a comprehensive report on the status of the port.
Ports in Bahrain have reportedly suspended operations temporarily, while Oman has partial restrictions. This comes after the countries were targeted by the Iranians. The Oman News Agency had earlier reported that two drones had targeted the port area and that one person was injured.
The key LNG terminals have, however, also been closed after their operations came under attack. Citing safety concerns, Qatar Energy said it had suspended operations at its Ras Laffan facility, with Inchcape also reporting that Qatar had suspended processing crew visas at Ras Laffan Port. Severe GPS signal interference was also being reported at Ras Laffan.
While the ports remain mostly operational, ships have stopped transits of the Straits of Hormuz due to the repeated attacks by the Iranians and a suspension of war risk insurance. In addition, many of the major shipping lines are reporting that they have placed restrictions on operations. MSC Mediterranean Shipping reported that it was suspending all bookings of the Middle East, while Ocean Network Express also reported it will temporarily suspend acceptance of new bookings for cargo moving both to and from the Persian Gulf until further notice. Maersk and HAPAG-Lloyd were among the companies that reported their vessels would stop transits in the Persian Gulf region. Maersk reported it was suspending reefer, dangerous/special cargo acceptance in and out of UAE, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, and not taking new bookings, including to parts of the Indian subcontinent. It also said all vessels would divert from the Suez Canal – Red Sea corridor.
In response to the ongoing missile attacks, U.S. commanders said they were focusing on quickly addressing Iran’s capabilities to strike neighboring facilities. U.S. Central Command reported on Monday, March 2, that because “Iran continues to maliciously launch ballistic missiles, indiscriminately targeting military and civilian locations throughout the region,” its efforts were being increased. It reported overnight that the massive B-1 bombers had been deployed to strike deep inside Iran to degrade Iranian ballistic missile capabilities. The U.S. released videos of mobile missile launchers being targeted and destroyed, while Iran responded with a video of underground bunkers storing large numbers of drones and missiles that it said it would be launching at the American forces and their supporters.
Cruise Lines Navigate Gulf Conflict Amidst Continued Iranian Strikes
Given the centrality of the oil trade to the GCC states, tankers have rightfully received the most attention of any vessel class in the new conflict in the Gulf. But cruising is increasingly popular in the region, and at least half a dozen cruise ships are in the affected area - including some which may be staying longer than expected due to ongoing Iranian strikes.
One of these vessels is newly homeported in the region. The Saudi cruise ship Aroya Manara (ex name World Dream) is currently moored in Dubai, and independent operator Aroya is deferring plans for a round-trip cruise through the Strait of Hormuz to visit Muscat.
Many others are temporarily based in the UAE or Qatar. German firm TUI Cruises has two vessels berthed in the area - the Mein Schiff 4 in Abu Dhabi and the Mein Schiff 5 in Doha. Abu Dhabi was attacked by Iran in a missile strike over the weekend, and passengers aboard Mein Schiff 4 were able to see Iranian drones hit the water from on board the vessel. Mein Schiff 5 is scheduled to conduct a series of round-trip cruises in the Gulf, and was slated to depart Doha on Saturday.
TUI has temporarily suspended sailings for both vessels, but it is unclear when passengers or crew will be able to depart: with airspace restrictions in place, travel in or out of the GCC is currently difficult.
Shipping giant MSC's cruise division has one vessel currently moored at Doha, MSC Euribia. The ship has about 5,000 passengers on board from its previous voyage, but it will not be departing as planned for its next seven-night cruise in the Arabian Gulf. Instead, it will be staying in port "due to the current situation and the air space closure in the Middle East."
Privately-held Celestyal Cruises, based in Athens, operates two cruise ships; both are in the Gulf, west of Hormuz. The line said in a statement Sunday that the next departures for Celestyal Journey (departing Doha) and Celestyal Discovery (departing Dubai) have been canceled: both were due to sail on Monday, but the line intends to put passenger and crew safety first in light of current circumstances. Guests of the Journey have the option to stay aboard or to go ashore in Doha, but authorities in Dubai have instructed Celestyal Discovery not to disembark passengers for the time being. The UAE has suspended all flights to and from Dubai amidst ongoing Iranian missile and drone attacks, so passengers would have few options for onward travel.
Conservative Anglicans challenge historic female leader with rival leadership
Issued on: 06/03/2026
Conservative Anglican leaders in Nigeria have restructured their organisation signalling a break from the traditions of the historic Anglican Communion. Gafcon leaders have opposed liberal trends such as same-sex marriage, the ordination of openly LGBTQ+ clergy in the Anglican churches of Europe and North America, including the Episcopal Church in the United States and the recent nomination of the Church's first female leader.
El Salvador's Bukele holding dozens of political prisoners: rights group Guatemala City (AFP) – The government of El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, known for a harsh crackdown on street gangs and dissent, is holding dozens of political prisoners, a rights group charged Thursday.
Such detentions had not happened in El Salvador since its long civil war of the 1980s, making the country now as oppressive as Nicaragua and Venezuela, the NGO Cristosal said at a presentation in Guatemala City.
The group's directors fled to Guatemala last July, saying they were being persecuted by Bukele's administration.
Their report tallied 86 political prisoners, including the NGO's chief anti-corruption investigator, Ruth Lopez.
Bukele has called himself the "world's coolest dictator" and is close to US President Donald Trump.
He rules under a state of emergency during which crime has been slashed as authorities have arrested 91,000 people, often acting without warrants and accusing the detainees of gang affiliation.
Thousands of innocent people were swept up in the crackdown, and around 8,000 have been released.
"For the first time since the peace agreements, after the war, we can state that there are political prisoners in El Salvador," Rene Valliente, head of research at Cristosal, told a news conference.
He was alluding to the 1992 accord that ended the war between a US-backed right-wing government and leftist guerrillas supported by Cuba.
The report said that besides the political prisoners at least 245 other people had been harassed in one way or another by the Salvadoran government, while cautioning the figure could be much higher.
Most are human rights advocates who criticized the gang crackdown, journalists, union leaders or environmental activists, the report said. 'Old forms of state violence'
"Ultimately, the famous 'Bukele model' is a regime like so many others -- a dictatorship that kills, tortures, robs and persecutes," said Cristosal's president Noah Bullock.
"What we see is a return to old forms of state violence exercised by tyrants and autocratic regimes to concentrate power and hold on to privileges," he said.
Bukele, who has been president since 2019, secured last August the right to seek indefinite re-election after his party-controlled Congress approved a sweeping constitutional reform.
The Salvadoran government did not immediately respond to the report.
Cristosal said along with using criminal courts as "a means of repression," the harassment included threats, having people followed, attempts at public shaming and "the systemic use of preventive incarceration."
"These methods are similar to those seen in countries like Nicaragua and Venezuela," the report said.
Lopez, the NGO's anti-corruption investigator, was detained in May 2025 on charges of embezzling state funds when she worked for an electoral court a decade ago.
She has denied the charges and accused the government of trying to silence her.
Bukele, whose crackdown on street gangs has won over many Salvadorans, was re-elected in 2024 with a massive majority.
"I don't care if they call me a dictator. I'd rather be called a dictator than see Salvadorans killed in the streets," he said in a speech last year.
As civilians in southern Beirut are ordered to evacuate ahead of an Israeli offensive, François Picard is pleased to welcome Nadim Houry, Executive Director of the Arab Reform Initiative (ARI). Houry describes the war on Iran and the ensuing conflict spreading across the Middle East as "one large illegal war" whose consequences are rapidly overwhelming Lebanon and threatening to reshape the entire region.
Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been ordered to flee with almost no warning and no clear refuge, while the Lebanese state is struggling to reassert its authority after years of economic collapse and political paralysis.
Our Spotlight interview aired shortly prior to French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement pledging armoured vehicles for the Lebanese government.
Lebanon faces what officials described as “one of the most dangerous moments in recent memory” after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israeli forces from areas both south and north of the Litani River, triggering a renewed Israeli air and ground campaign.
Announcing its ground incursion into southern Lebanon, Israel said it aims to establish what it called a permanent “security zone” along the border.
The exact depth of the proposed zone remains unclear, but its humanitarian cost is already emerging. More than 80 towns and villages have been emptied following successive evacuation orders, forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee north of the Litani River.
Orders to vacate have also reached Beirut’s southern suburbs, where residents have been told to leave their homes and not expect to return until Israel decides the time is right.
The evacuation net has spread wide, reaching villages deep in the south and others pressing against the western Bekaa.
Israeli reports estimate the number of Lebanese who will be forced from their homes at around 350,000 — on top of the roughly 85,000 frontline villagers who never made it back from earlier rounds of displacement.
Recent days have shown that Hezbollah remains active south of the Litani River, most visibly when its fighters engaged an Israeli tank in the border town of Kafr Kila.
The group has also maintained a steady stream of drone and rocket attacks toward Israel’s Upper Galilee from positions north of the river.
The Lebanese Army has redeployed along the border zone it has held since the Nov. 27, 2024, Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, declaring in January that it had successfully cleared more than 90 percent of Hezbollah weapons from the area.
A military source confirmed that Israeli troops had crossed into Lebanon on Tuesday, moving through the towns of Kafr Kila and Khiam, shortly after Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz issued orders to seize additional strategic positions and tighten the grip on southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military called it a “forward defensive measure.”
Statements from Israeli officials and developments on the ground suggest a broader strategy to establish a civilian-free buffer zone along the 120 kilometer border, extending 10 kilometers deep into Lebanese territory.
That translates to roughly 1,200 square kilometers — close to 10 percent of Lebanon’s territory.
The blueprint was already being drafted during the 66-day war of 2024. Israeli forces razed homes in frontline border villages and sprayed chemical agents across farmland, stripping away vegetation that Hezbollah fighters had used for cover.
Five hilltop positions — Hamames, Uwayda, Aaziyyeh, Jabal Blat, and Labbouneh — remain under Israeli control inside Lebanese territory. The Lebanese Army reports additional positions have been established in recent months.
Brig. Gen. Mounir Shehadeh, the former Lebanese government coordinator with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), said that during the 2024 war, Israel sought to occupy all of southern Lebanon south of the Litani River.
However, UNIFIL forces deployed in the area refused to evacuate their positions.
“Israeli forces subsequently targeted those sites, injuring peacekeepers and shelling the entrance to the UNIFIL headquarters,” Shehadeh told Arab News.
He said the ceasefire agreement and the role of US mediation imposed “a fait accompli” in the border region. “Israel continued to violate the agreement through assassinations and the bulldozing of villages during this period,” he said.
Shehadeh noted that the term “buffer zone” is a concept Israel has used since its inception.
“In the media, it is framed as protecting settlements, but in reality Israel uses it to reshape facts on the ground, hoping that over time the buffer zone will become part of Israel. The Golan Heights is a clear example of this,” he added.
Shehadeh said the scale of the evacuation map suggests the buffer plan goes way beyond a localized response to rocket fire. Instead, it points to an attempt to impose a comprehensive security zone that would depopulate the border area and transform it into an open military zone.
“The Litani River is crucial to Israeli doctrine,” he said. “Based on that, the boundaries of the proposed buffer zone can be roughly estimated as follows.
“To the south, the entire Blue Line from Naqoura to the outskirts of Shebaa Farms; to the north, a line running roughly parallel to the Litani River in some sections and extending between three and eight kilometers into Lebanese territory, depending on terrain and population density.
“To the west, the Mediterranean coast at Naqoura; and to the east, the outskirts of the Arqoub region and the highlands overlooking the Upper Galilee.”
The buffer zone could span approximately 250 to 400 square kilometers, depending on the depth of the actual incursion.
Shehadeh added that if Israeli forces reach the outskirts of the Litani River, it would effectively revive a security belt similar to the one that existed before 2000, but on a larger scale extending toward the outskirts of the western Bekaa Valley.
If Israel continues advancing, it could push even further north to the Awali River, as it did during the 1982 war that culminated in the occupation of Beirut, he said.
For its part, UNIFIL expressed “grave concern” regarding Israeli calls for the evacuation of civilians to the north of the Litani.
It also reported several Israeli military movements and activities in its area of operations, including in the vicinity of Khiam, Beit Lif, Yaroun, Houla, Kfar Kila, El Khirbe, and Kfar Shouba, amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes and other aerial activities.
UNIFIL considered these actions “not only a violation of Resolution 1701, but also a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
It also noted the new salvo of rockets and shells fired from Lebanese territory towards Israel, in violation of Resolution 1701.
The Lebanese Armed Forces command confirmed the incursion of Israeli forces into Lebanese territory in what it called a “flagrant violation of international resolutions and Lebanese sovereignty, following the launching of rockets and drones from Lebanese territory.”
It added that it continues to implement the decisions of the political authorities “in a manner that takes into account the supreme national interest,” and that it is coordinating with UNIFIL and the committee supervising the cessation of hostilities agreement “to halt Israeli attacks.”
The statement added that military units are redeploying at several border points within their assigned sectors despite limited capabilities, while implementing exceptional measures to maintain security and prevent armed activity in various areas.
According to Shehadeh, UNIFIL has already begun reducing troop numbers and withdrawing equipment ahead of the expected end of its mission in southern Lebanon in late 2027.
“In contrast, Israel no longer recognizes the Blue Line or Resolution 1701,” he told Arab News. “This will present Lebanon with a new security and geographical reality, altering the lines of deployment and engagement and complicating any subsequent political settlement.”
UNIFIL said its forces are still present on the ground and continue to carry out their tasks in southern Lebanon and along the Blue Line.
It also noted that it has adapted its activities in support of Resolution 1701, including, where possible, facilitating humanitarian assistance and protecting civilians, adding that the mission’s civilian footprint would be adapted accordingly.
Politically, the outlook in Lebanon’s external diplomacy appears no less bleak than the situation on the ground. Officials have been in contact with the US and France, urging them to pressure Israel to halt its attacks, but so far those efforts appear to have yielded little result.
The UN Security Council is set to hold a briefing next Tuesday on the implementation of Resolution 1701.
A senior Lebanese political source told Arab News: “The facts on the ground are changing every minute. What we are trying to do is stop the ongoing military operations so we can assess how to return to the negotiating table and implement international resolutions.”
The official source added that while the Lebanese government had openly raised the prospect of negotiations with Israel, Lebanon no longer appears to be a priority in international calculations, leaving the situation largely determined by the balance of power on the ground.
Meanwhile, the number of displaced people has reached almost 100,000, a figure expected to rise sharply following the mass exodus that began Thursday from Beirut’s southern suburbs, home to more than one million residents from across Lebanon’s various sectarian communities.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported on Thursday that at least 102 people have been killed and 638 injured since Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon began on Monday.
Lebanese Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed said that 83,847 displaced people, equivalent to 18,033 families, had registered in shelters due to the Israeli evacuation warnings, noting that the number of shelter centers had reached 399 across Lebanon.
Information Minister Paul Morcos said after the cabinet’s emergency session on Thursday that Prime Minister Nawaf Salam had criticized those responsible for dragging Lebanon into the latest escalation.
Quoting Salam, Morcos said: “Whoever committed a sin is the one who dragged Lebanon into repercussions we could have done without. Talk of treason is not courage; it is irresponsible and incites strife.”
The remarks came after Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem criticized the government on Wednesday night as he defended the Iran-backed group’s decision to abandon earlier pledges to keep Lebanon neutral amid the regional conflict.
Morcos also announced that the government had decided to reinstate visa requirements for Iranian nationals entering Lebanon. It would also ban any activity by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, a main backer of Hezbollah, while seeking to deport its members from Lebanon.
Arab News
Arab News is Saudi Arabia's first English-language newspaper. It was founded in 1975 by Hisham and Mohammed Ali Hafiz. Today, it is one of 29 publications produced by Saudi Research & Publishing Company (SRPC), a subsidiary of Saudi Research & Marketing Group (SRMG).
Lebanese PM says 'humanitarian disaster is looming' from displacement
Issued on: 06/03/2026 - FRANCE24
Thick plumes of smoke were seen rising over Beirut as the Israeli military announced they had begun an additional wave of strikes in the Lebanese capital. As Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on Monday, Israel launched strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs and Lebanon's east and south. The Israeli military said it had carried out 26 waves of strikes overnight in the southern suburbs.
France ramps up military aid to Lebanon as Macron calls for halt in attacks
France will strengthen its cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces and provide armoured transport vehicles along with operational and logistical support, President Emmanuel Macron has said, as Lebanon is pulled deeper into the war in the Middle East.
Issued on: 06/03/2026 - RFI
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (left) has asked President Emmanuel Macron (right) to intervene to prevent Israeli airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs.
"Everything must be done to prevent this country, so close to France, from once again being drawn into war," Macron said on Thursday in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
"At this moment of great danger, I call on the Israeli prime minister not to expand the war to Lebanon. I call on Iranian leaders not to further draw Lebanon into a war that is not its own," the French leader added.
Macron's comments followed a request by Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun for the French president to intervene to "prevent the targeting of the southern suburbs [of Beirut] following threats by the Israeli army against its residents," the Lebanese presidency said in a separate statement.
Israel launched fresh airstrikes on Beirut on Thursday, having ordered hundreds of thousands of people to leave the city's southern suburbs.
The Israeli military says it is targeting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah armed group across Lebanon, with Beirut's south seen as its stronghold.
Hezbollah has launched rockets and drones over the border into Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Lebanese state media said on Friday that Israel had launched overnight strikes on several towns in the east and had also targeted the eastern town of Dours at dawn.
Its health ministry says 123 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since Monday. At least 90,000 have been displaced.
Humanitarian aid
Macron also announced the "immediate despatch of humanitarian aid" to Lebanon.
"Several tonnes of medicines are being transported, along with shelter solutions and assistance supplies," he said.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed in a TV interview that five tonnes of medical equipment and several tonnes of humanitarian supplies would arrive in Lebanon "as early as next week".
France has said it aims to prevent escalation across the region and has taken steps to protect its own positions amid the wider conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
"Hezbollah must immediately cease its fire toward Israel. Israel must refrain from any ground intervention or large-scale operation on Lebanese territory," Macron said.
'Not at war'
The president has sought to reassure the public that France is neither waging war in the Middle East nor intending to become embroiled in one.
"I fully understand and hear your concerns, but I wanted to be absolutely clear... France is not part of this war. We are not in combat, and we will not be drawn into this conflict," Macron said in an Instagram post on Thursday evening, responding to a young user who had expressed anxiety over the potential fallout from the Israeli-American offensive against Iran..
France has dispatched military reinforcements to the Middle East – including the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle – to safeguard French nationals and allies caught in the crossfire of Iranian reprisals, helping them "intercept drones and missiles," he explained.
"In an entirely peaceful capacity, we are mobilising to try to secure maritime traffic," Macron continued.
Earlier on Tuesday, the president had announced he was seeking to build a coalition to protect the "shipping lanes vital to the global economy" in the region.
"We shall endeavour to act as reasonably and peacefully as possible, because that is France's role."
(with newswires)
Israel strikes Beirut’s southern suburbs after issuing a blanket evacuation order
Issued on: 05/03/2026 - FRANCE24
Israel launched a series of strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut Thursday after ordering all residents of the densely populated area to evacuate. Traffic was gridlocked in Lebanon 's capital on Thursday as panicked residents tried to flee after Israel's military issued an evacuation notice telling residents to “save your lives and evacuate your homes immediately,” and specified which routes they should take to escape. FRANCE 24's Catherine Norris-Trent reports from Beirut.
US likely responsible for Iranian girls' school bombing, investigation says
Issued on: 06/03/2026 - FRANCE24
A tragedy at a primary school in Iran is sparking international outrage as new details emerge regarding who may be responsible. While the physical destruction is absolute, the political fallout is only just beginning. According to Reuters, a US investigation suggests the US itself was likely responsible for the strike.
